News Round-Up: GOP Presidential Endorsements

In case you missed it….a quick round-up of top headlines focusing on the GOP and the Latino Vote

• NEW HAMPSHIRE UNION LEADER: An Editorial: For President, Newt Gingrich
  Newt Gingrich, received the coveted endorsement of The New Hampshire Union Leader editorial board. The endorsement from one of the country’s most important conservative publications gives the surging former Speaker of the House another shot in the arm in the Republican presidential contest. The editorial states, that while Gingrich isn’t the perfect candidate, his ideas set him apart from his GOP rivals.

  “…America is at a crucial crossroads. It is not going to be enough to merely replace Barack Obama next year. We are in critical need of the innovative, forward-looking strategy and positive leadership that Gingrich has shown he is capable of providing…”
  

• THE HILL: Arizona’s controversial Sheriff Arpaio set to endorse Rick Perry 

GOP Presidential candidate Rick Perry received the endorsement of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The Maricopa County Arizona sheriff billed as “America’s Toughest Sheriff” for his reputation as a tough enforcer of Arizona’s controversial laws against illegal immigration publicly endorsed the Texas Governor’s bid for President.

“…Arpaio’s backing for Perry, first reported by NBC News could help the Texas governor among conservative voters concerned with illegal immigration.

Arpaio who bills himself as “America’s Toughest Sheriff” has built a reputation as a tough enforcer of Arizona’s controversial laws against illegal immigration.

The sheriff who has shown interest in running for president or an Arizona Senate seat in the past has been courted by GOP hopefuls. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and businessman Herman Cain have both visited him in hopes of gaining his endorsement…”

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Rick Perry on In-State Tuition for Immigrant Students: “Tax Wasters to Tax Payers”

In New Hampshire GOP Presidential candidate Rick Perry defended his record as Texas Governor, talked about the economy and attacked his chief rival for the nomination, Mitt Romney. Addressing in-state tuition for undocumented immigrant students, an issue that has hounded him since the Florida debate, Perry said:

“Asked whether he would make different immigration laws if he had the chance, Perry said no.

“Texas had a decision to make: Are we going to kick these young people to the curb and pay for their existence in our state through social programs or some other type of government dollars — up to and including incarceration?” Perry said. “Or are we going to require that they pursue United States citizenship and pay full in-state tuition?”

Perry added, “Are we gonna create tax wasters or are we gonna create tax payers?”

Read the full story at the The Washington Post - ”Perry: In-state tuition prevents immigrants from becoming ‘tax wasters’ 

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Tonight’s GOP Debate in Las Vegas

While Obama is campaigning for support of his jobs plan, Americans are analyzing their options for the 2012 election. Tonight, the Republican Presidential candidates will gather in Las Vegas, NV for a CNN debate. Many voters are wondering which of these GOP candidates can offer a real alternative to President Obama? Voters have all but lost faith in Washington D.C. and in politicians to fix the economy. The question is, which candidate can give Americans confidence in America?

The race for the GOP Presidential nomination has been a fascinating spectacle for political junkies given the large candidate field, the fluctuating primary calendar and the unique political environment. The “top-tier” of candidates has been constantly changing as Republican voters struggle to make up their minds. In many ways the 2012 GOP Presidential primary season has always been about two people: Mitt Romney versus the not-Romney candidate.

The last several weeks has cemented Mitt Romney as the GOP frontrunner. Tonight, in the eighth GOP debate, focus will be on Romney as he makes the case that he is the most electable and most likely to beat President Obama. The other focus will be placed on Herman Cain and the one time frontrunner Rick Perry. Even with major mis-steps in past debates, the Texas Governor has been able to hold on to Presidential hopes given his fundraising power.

I spoke to the San Francisco Chronicle about the GOP candidates and specifically if Rick Perry still has a chance to become a top-tier candidate again. I was asked specifically about Perry’s appeal to Latino voters, given that the debate is taking place in Nevada, which has a 26% Latino population.

SF CHRON: “Rick Perry moves to stem immigration backlash“

“Bettina Inclan, a California Republican consultant, said Perry still has a chance to differentiate himself from other Republicans as a candidate with a track record on immigration, in contrast to Cain, who joked this week about an “electrified” fence on the border, and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, who pledges to build a fence the entire length of the border.

‘At the end of the day, Perry is the only presidential candidate who has real experience in dealing with a diverse Latino community,’ Inclan said.”

Things are constantly changing but here some thoughts on what to expect tonight:

Mitt Romney: Expect another great debate performance by the GOP frontrunner.  Romney, who exudes confidence, will try to establish himself as the adult in the room. He will make the point that his unique experience in both the private and pubic sector makes him the only candidate to successfully deal with the economy. Romney’s biggest challenge will be to excite the base and get more conservatives on his side. He will likely poke holes in Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan, as well as continue to attack Rick Perry, seeing Perry’s Texas size fundraising skills as one of his biggest hurdles in Romney’s road to the nomination.

Herman Cain: A long time Tea Party favorite, Cain he has used his engaging personality and speaking abilities to skyrocket to the top of the national polls. (Leaving many in the political chattering class scratching their

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News Round-Up: Immigration and the GOP Candidates

In case you missed it….a quick round-up of top headlines focusing on Hispanics and the GOP:

• RIGHT WING NEWS BLOG: Interviewing Rick Perry On Illegal Immigration (National)RWN has a rare interview with the three-term Texas Governor and current GOP Presidential candidate on his record on immigration. “Texas is an agriculture-friendly border state, and its population is roughly 37% Hispanic. In a state like that, where the Texas version of the DREAM Act was genuinely popular on both sides of the aisle, you can’t realistically expect a governor to compile an ideologically pure record on illegal immigration. So with that in mind, the real question becomes what can we expect from Rick Perry on the issue if he becomes President? That question had yet to be answered — until today. .. If you’re wondering where Rick Perry stands, after reading this interview, you will know…. “

• FOX NEWS: GOP Debate: Immigration, the Issue that Won’t Go Away (National)

“Immigration…was conspicuously absent in a debate that focused almost exclusively on the economy. That was a far cry from previous debates, when the topic nearly stole the show….”

• FOX NEWS LATINO: With Univision Snub, GOP Candidates Seek Other Venues for Reaching Latinos (National)

As many GOP candidates have decided to boycott the Univision GOP debate due to questions about the Spanish-language network’s journalistic integrity, many are asking what will the Republican candidates do to connect with the growing Latino electorate, much of which still gets their news in Spanish. “Analysts say Republicans will need to make an impression on Latino voters one way or another. They urged the candidates to broaden their outreach, instead of relying on one-shot debates to make an impact … But a Republican effort to connect with Latino voters outside the debate stage has at least begun. Last month, the newly formed Hispanic Leadership Network held a two-day conference in New Mexico aimed at ramping up efforts to engage Latino voters on “center-right” issues.”

• AEI:  Stop Bickering Over Illegals, Focus on Legal Immigration Reform (National)
  

An intriguing policy proposal from the American Enterprise Institute on how to deal with immigration. “More than 30% of the scientists and engineers in Silicon Valley who have helped America stay at the cutting-edge of technological innovation are foreign born. One-quarter of the Americans who have won Nobel Prizes have been immigrants, even though immigrants comprise just one-eighth of the U.S. population. With the U.S. facing the risk of a double-dip recession, an immigration policy that attracts skilled workers will help revive the ailing economy and provide American businesses with the highly productive workers they require. The private sector has been asking for such reform for many years; now is the time for the U.S. government to start helping, not hindering, American industry.

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Nevada: GOP walks tightrope on immigration issue

The GOP Presidential candidates as walking a very tight rope on the immigration issue as they fight to secure the Republican nomination.  While being tough on immigration might help a candidate win votes in a GOP Primary, it might derails the same candidate during the general election…

As one of the first states to vote for the Republican Presidential nominee, national eyes have focused on Nevada, where Latinos make up 14% of the electorate. The Las Vegas Sun writes how immigration will play in the primary and in the general election. This tightrope walk on immigration isn’t exclusive to Nevada, as many swing states have large Hispanic populations (i.e: Florida, New Mexico, Colorado…).

…But immigration likely won’t be the deciding issue in the primary. And if Perry pulls through, his record could draw Hispanic voters from Democrats, particularly as President Barack Obama’s approval rating with Hispanics has dropped.

Likewise, as Romney latches on to immigration as a wedge to drive conservative voters away from Perry he could have the reverse problem should he make it to the general by espousing harsher immigration policies that might antagonize Hispanic voters needed for a Nevada win.

Romney’s camp denies his positions on immigration — which include building the border fence, pushing English-immersion education, supporting Arizona’s immigration law and opposing in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants — would alienate Hispanic voters.

“Gov. Romney has consistently supported legal immigration and opposed illegal immigration,” his spokesman Ryan Williams said. “Gov. Perry has supported liberal policies that encourage illegal immigration.”

Democrats are already working to shift the narrative away from Perry as a champion of pragmatic immigration policies…

Read full article: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/oct/06/rick-perry-walks-tightrope-immigration-issue/

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Marco Rubio Says No To Vice President, Talks Immigration

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) clamped down on VP rumors, telling reporters he was “not going to be the vice presidential nominee” for the Republican Party. Speaking at the Washington Ideas Forum at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., he provided advice to his fellow Republicans on the complicated immigration issue, saying the GOP can’t be “the anti-illegal immigration party.”. Rubio was also asked about the Univision controversy.

Discussing the Vice Presidential rumors, ABC’s The Note reported:

When asked… Rubio repeated twice for emphasis, “I am not going to be the Vice Presidential nominee. I am not going to be the Vice Presidential nominee.”

Asked during the forum if he would turn down an offer if the Republican presidential nominee asks him to, Rubio responded, “Yea, I believe so,” adding again, “the answer is gonna be no.”…

“I’m not focused on that,” [Rubio] said. “I don’t crave it. I wanted to be a United States Senator. I didn’t run for the Senate as an opportunity to have a launching pad for some other job. I think one of the things that I lament is that people somehow come to the conclusion that United States Senator is not enough. Listen, the United States Senate is still an important, I think very important institution.”

With immigration becoming an ever-present issue during the GOP Presidential primary, Rubio offered his Republican colleagues some advice on the issue. He warned Republicans to pay attention to their tone and to not have primary focus on immigrants who entered the country illegally. The Huffington Post reported:

“We cannot be the anti-illegal immigration party. We have to be the pro-legal immigration party,” [Rubio] said. “We have to be a party that advocates for a legal immigration system that’s good for Americans, good for America and honors our tradition both as a nation of immigrants and as a nation of law.”

Immigration has become a main issue in the GOP Presidential Primary, to the disappointment of many Hispanic Republican and GOP leaders. Many Republicanos worry that the GOP will squander a unique opportunity to connect with Latino voters who are disillusioned with President Obama, suffering through high-unemployment and looking for a Presidential candidate that can fix the economy.

Mitt Romney has attacked Texas Governor Rick Perry for supporting legislation in 2001 that provides in-state tuition for some of Texas’ undocumented students.  In 2003, as a member of the Florida legislature, Marco Rubio supported legislation that would

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News Round-Up: Immigration & Romney, Boycotting Univision

In case you missed it….a quick round-up of top headlines focusing on Hispanics and the GOP:

• AD AGE:  To Reach Latino Voters, Forget Immigration Issue and Do Ads in Spanish (NATIONAL)
  

Great piece with lots of juicy stats on Hispanics and the Latino electorate: “…Hispanics represent about 9% or 10% of the electorate, but in key states can make up 12% to 16% of voters, and as much as 35% of the voting population. And they’re not as interested in the immigration issue as politicians appear to believe they are.

“They’re more interested in the economy, jobs, education, government waste and higher taxes,” Mr. Mellman said. “Language is also important. A large percentage of the swing voters — one-third or more — is Spanish dominant. A relatively small group only watches English-language media, and even they think it’s important to advertise on Spanish-language media. They say that’s a sign of respect for their community.”

• FOX NEWS LATINO: Presidential Race 2012: Political Attention Turns to Nevada (Nevada)

Reacting to the accelerated GOP Primary calendar, the Nevada caucuses may move up to January, getting ahead of Florida. Nevada has a growing Latino population, and estimated 14% of eligible Nevada voters are Hispanic: “Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Georgia businessman Herman Cain have been working Nevada for months in advance of the caucuses. They’ve hired campaign staffs, opened offices and assembled networks of volunteers. The other candidates are starting to follow, mindful of the huge fundraising and popularity bump that comes with winning one of the three states that kick off the voting.”

• Miami Herald: ‘Boycott Univision debate,’ Florida Republicans tell RNC (Florida)

Top Florida Hispanic Republicans are calling on the national GOP and their party’s presidential candidates to boycott a proposed Univision debate amid allegations that Spanish-language television network Univision tried to “extort” Sen. Marco Rubio. The GOP leaders sent this open letter to the Republican National Committee. READ MORE.

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Herman Cain’s Hot Streak

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain continues to gain momentum with a series of straw poll victories over the weekend, including a win with GOP women.

Cain won 48.9 percent of the straw poll vote at this weekend’s National Federation of Republican Women Convention in Kansas City. Texas Governor Rick Perry (14.1 percent) came in a distant second place and Mitt Romney (13.3 percent) placed in third. The poll featured nine Republican presidential candidates. View full results here.

The National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) is one the largest women’s political organizations in the country. The straw poll win is Cain’s latest triumph, as he continues to gain support among GOP activists, the conservative Republican base and the Tea Party movement.

Just last month, Cain had a surprising victory at Florida’s Presidency 5 straw poll. He won 37 percent of the vote; winning more votes than the two GOP front-runners, Perry (15 percent) and Romney (14 percent), combined.

The Florida straw poll victory propelled Cain, former CEO of Godfather Pizza, to the top tier of Republican Presidential Candidates. A national poll by Fox News released last week, showed Herman Cain in third place, behind Perry and Romney.

Cain’s winning streak continued in Illinois at TeaCon 2011, the Midwest Tea Party convention held this past Saturday. Cain won first place, with

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Growing Support for a “Limited” Dream Act: Governor Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio?

There is growing support among Republican leaders for a limited version of the Dream Act, according to Florida’s Shark-Tank.net. The state-level Dream Act allows children who grew up in America, yet as minors entered the country illegally by no fault of their own, to receive in-state college tuition, in the state in which they reside and graduated from high school. The state version of the Dream Act does not deal with immigration status.

Read the full post by Shark Tank’s Javier Manjarres: “Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush In-Line With a Limited Form of the Dream Act?“

Governor Rick Perry’s support for in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants is now getting the blessing of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who always has had a soft spot for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants in Florida. Governor Bush stated to the National Journal that he thought that Perry’s Texas tuition measure was “fair policy.”

By all accounts, the illegal immigration debate is ready to explode onto the 2012 election season, as many groups, both pro and anti-illegal immigration begin to make their cases for their respective causes. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio was ridiculed several years ago for not helping to pass (6) immigration reform bills that eventually died while he was the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.

According to the Journal, in 2003 and 2004, Senator Marco Rubio sponsored a similar bill offering tuition assistance to the children of illegal immigrants. During his 2010 Senatorial campaign, Rubio ran to the right on the illegal immigration issue, and fast became the pro-legal immigration candidate, winning the both the Tea Party and Conservative votes.

“Senator Rubio does not support blanket in-state tuition benefits for students who are in this country illegally. As he said throughout the 2010 campaign and continues to say today, he believes that a consensus exists to help a limited number of young people who were brought here by their parents as young children and have worked hard, exhibited good moral character, and want to contribute to our nation’s future in a meaningful way by becoming part of American society and attending college or joining our armed forces,” said [Senator] Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos.

READ MORE: http://shark-tank.net/2011/09/27/19912/

Several versions of the “Dream Act” exist, with very different rules when implemented at the state or federal level. State based “Dream Acts” are in-state tuition measures and usually only impact a student’s ability to attend college. Most versions of a federal DREAM Act deal with college admission, military service and a student’s immigration status. According to the National Journal, “…Rubio opposes the federal DREAM Act, which would allow children of illegal immigrants who go to college or serve in the military to earn legal status. Perry also opposes that legislation.“

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Another Bad Week for President Obama

Things are not getting better for President Barack Obama. New polls show continued loss in support and today’s job’s numbers show no new jobs were created in August. Unemployment remains unchanged at 9.1 %. The last time there were zero net jobs created was February 1945.

With the 2012 Presidential campaign season well on its way, and growing support for GOP candidates, the President re-election is on thin ice.  A few headlines Democrats should be worried about:

USA TODAY: Obama’s hits another low in another poll

“Voters disapprove of Obama’s performance by 52-42%, compared with 47%-46% in July, Quinnipiac reports. Among whites and men, Obama’s approval rating is in the 30s.

GALLUP: Obama Weekly Average Approval Holds at Term-Low 40%

“President Obama’s approval rating has leveled off at the low point of his presidency, averaging 40% for the third straight week. Notably, his approval rating among several groups that previously gave him strong majority support — postgraduates, Hispanics, 18- to 29-year-olds, and lower-income Americans — is now below the 50% threshold.”

HOT AIR: Poll: Perry 44, Obama 41

“For the first time this year, Texas Governor Rick Perry leads President Obama in a national Election 2012 survey…Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney currently trails the president by four percentage points, 43% to 39%. That’s a slight improvement for the Republican compared to a week ago…. A Generic Republican currently leads the president 48% to 40%.”

TIME: In His Administration’s Own Economic Outlook, Signs of Obama’s Grim Re-Election Prospects

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